Sixth Route: The route you shouldn't take
by Adelione
Summary: In which her heart closes.


**A/N: This is originally posted in an app called "RFA Amino for Mystic Messenger". You can find me there as "Sumin Han" where I dump all of my thoughts.**

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The game is continuously a hit with flying colors and it's expected for the fans to ask for another route to play — they want Saeran and V.

... Their wishes are not heard, however.

The route is given to Dawoon Lee.

Most aren't hiding their disappointment as who they received is a mile different from their wishes — Dawoon is female. Not another dream boy to fawn over.

But they had no choice, the curiosity also nips at them. They give Dawoon a chance.

They are shown of who she is as a playable route and they soon become excited.

She is a tall and handsome woman with eyes that resembles that of a cat, a pair of glowing ambers that can bore into the soul. Dawoon is good with her job as she is an editor in chief of XXX Publishing House. She is the type to rarely express shows strong emotions, but is still popular with authors and employees she works with. Dawoon is looked up for her efficiency.

However, she has a flaw under the image she portrays.

She is a _Monet_ — so beautiful and admirable, like a painting, from afar. But upon closer look, she turns out to be so wrong, far from good. A complete mess.

It is up to the players to put a pure smile on her face — to mend her.

Dawoon is the blue of heart and is only accessible through Deep Story, she is along with Jumin Han and Luciel. As there needs to be a female there as well, and her route is definitely on deep extent. Unlike Jaehee, Dawoon can be gained romantically.

She can be touched, she can be kissed, and she can be bound by marriage if need be.

But Dawoon wants none of that. She refuses to be taken just by anyone who'll be with her, well, not in forever.

She is aware of the mechanics and she feels cursed as her heart is pursued by strangers that will just come and go in her life.

Dawoon does her best to measure her interactions with the players. She makes sure that she is seen much occupied with work than have time for anything else.

But that doesn't mean she distances herself from helping the players — she does care for them, but keeps them at arms length. She guides and gives advice on the route they pursue, she enjoys just being friends with them.

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There are some who does manage to go far and get her route, though. And she rejects them.

"I think we should just be friends," Dawoon tells the girl and she is immediately bathed in cold water. The glass shatters on the ground and time seems to move about slowly. People eye at the two of them.

"I did not pursue you just to be friends! I don't want this ending! I spent a lot of money on you! Cheritz must be a goldmine because of you being hard to get!"

Dawoon is not supposed to do that unless it's a bad end, but she does it.

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"You're not getting a lot of positive feedbacks," Luciel reminds her without the usual humor in his voice. He must be noticing that everyone keeps getting her wrong endings. "You're not supposed to break their hearts."

She squeezes the phone on her ear, "Right, it's my heart that's supposed to be broken."

"I know you don't want to get hurt, but it doesn't have to be that way all the time," he says.

"Aren't you tired? Of all these?" she asks him and he becomes quiet for a moment.

"Dawoon, you have to do what you're supposed to. Or you might get discarded. You know that."

"I don't mind disappearing."

She hangs up.

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"Dawoon, let's keep talking!" Misa, a player, whines.

"This is your eighth call. You know it's late, right? You should rest for tomorrow." Dawoon continues to mark red on papers while maintaining the call, the phone in between her ear and shoulder.

"But I really like hearing your voice... "

"Should I recite a phonebook for you then?"

"I'd like that."

"It was a joke but I'll do that next time you call. Now go to bed, please?" Dawoon sighs, she worries that the girl on the other end might sacrifice sleeping hours just to flirt with her.

"But Dawoon~! I don't want to yet!" she receives a high pitched whine and she gives up.

"All right. We'll talk for another five minutes."

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 **707, Misa, Jumin Han**

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 **Misa:** Oh! I think so too!

 **707:** Riiight lolol

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 **Dawn has entered the chatroom.**

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 **707:** Dawyy, you're online

 **707:** at EXACTLY 5pm again lolol did ur OCD tell u to do that?

 **Dawn:** I don't have OCD.

 **707:** Then be online at 5:01 tmmrow!

 **Dawn:** No.

 **707:** lolololololol

 **Misa:** Stop teasing her... ;;;;

 **Dawn:** It's all right. No need to defend me.

 **707:** Jumin, I think you're silent? You alive?! Knock knock!

 **Jumin Han:** I've been coming up with new cat proposals.

 **707:** OH! I HAVE IDEAS!

 **Jumin Han:** I'll only hear one.

 **707:** A CAT HOTEL! It has a cat salon, cat restaurant and everything.

 **Jumin Han:** A cat hotel...

 **Dawn:** Jumin, you shouldn't.

 **Jumin Han:** I should.

 **707:** You should! lolol

 **Dawn:** ... I must leave. I have to check on my writers.

 **Misa:** Good luck with work! ^^

 **Dawn:** Yes. Thank you. Be sure to eat dinner.

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 **Dawn has left the chatroom.**

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They stand outside the backdoor as if they are having a rendezvous meeting, but in truth, it's only for a smoke.

Dawoon leans her back against the cold bricked walls, she takes deep draws from the cigarette. Nicotine is an abundance in her system.

A gray mist makes a debut out of her lips as she exhales.

Zen soon joins her and she offers him a lighter.

The air becomes heavy on the scent of burning coal.

"Good job bringing in the male players," Zen starts with a puff on his cigarette.

"Who also plays your route," Dawoon adds.

Zen runs a hand along his hair, his brows are squeezed together, " _Don't_ remind me. They won't stop messing with me."

"You're the one who brought it up." Her eyes stare at the gloomy sky, rain will come. "... I'd take Echo Girl's role anytime," she mumbles a random thought by accident.

Zen's eyes widen then he laughs at her, "Dawoon Lee should be no one but _you_!" he gazes at her and smiles, "Tall, charming, good at taking care of people but..." he pauses, "a Monet."

Dawoon frowns and he loses his smile. He takes her hand into his, "You're just lost, but don't close your heart forever. Once you find your answer, you won't be wearing this on here." His thumb caresses her ring — the one on her ring finger.

She takes her hand back and squishes her cigarette against the wall behind her.

She says goodbye to him and leaves, the smell of cigar a lasting perfume on her.

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One day, it strikes her like a stray arrow.

Dawoon doesn't expect someone — a _player_ — to actually get a hold of her heart. She feels that she has found _it_ but she also has let her guard down. Too much. She blames Zen.

But love isn't so bad, it feeds something sweet and strange to her heart. It is overwhelming but it completes her.

She is just a girl younger than her by five years — honest, soft spoken... and innocent. She admits that Dawoon is her first love and that she loves it when she kisses her forehead

"I love you, Dawoon," she finally confesses. Someone's heart dances at that.

Dawoon smiles, "I—" but she loses the next words and the girl looks up at her with a worried look.

This is frightening, this is like poison she's about to take.

How will it feel to live without this girl?

She will reset.

She will discard the game.

She will find someone else to truly love.

And Dawoon will be a distant memory to her. Just the thought of it is like knives to the chest.

"Dawoon...?"

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 **"I'm abandoning you before you abandon _me_."**

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 **— BAD END —**

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 **Should I continue...?**


End file.
